emotion

14

"Cry if you need to" I spoke quietly.

She shook her head quickly, forcing her tears away.

"Can I just-" she cut herself off, clearing her throat.

"Just ask, you can do anything" I spoke.

"Can I have a hug?" The tears broke as she asked for one.

"Harley" I spoke quietly, pulling her into my chest at a quick pace, holding her tighter than anyone I've ever hugged.

She hugged me back, cries coming from her as she nuzzled her head into me.

I ended up in bed with her, her grip never loosening as I played with the ends of her hair, rubbing her back gently.

She just wanted some damn affection.

I ended up turning on a movie, which gained her attention, but yet she never let me go.

"Let me adopt you" I spoke into her hair as the movie slowly came to an end.

"No" she spoke, a slight laugh coming from her directly after.

"Sorry, that was a little blunt" she spoke, sitting up to look to me as I smiled to her, wishing so badly she'd just let me give her the life she deserved

"I appreciate the offer, but the kids need me-" "I'll get them help too-" "they'll still need me." She spoke sternly.

"Why do they need help outside of the foster home?" I asked.

"We live in a cruel world" she spoke facts.

"I don't want the world to corrupt them just yet, they shouldn't be forced to grow up."

"Harley, it's going to get them eventually-" "but not while I'm capable of defending them." She spoke firmly.

"Who was this over?" I asked, touching her swollen knuckle lightly.

She looked to her hand.

"A girl in my grade, she was picking on the kids" she shrugged simply.

"So you fight over the kids?" I questioned.

"Yep" she exhaled, blinking to me slowly.

"So it's the kids being bullied, not you?" I asked her.

"I go through hell. But, I would prefer to fight for them rather than myself"

I couldn't say anything, I just stared to her.

"I've already been through the worst of the worst, Luke- I'm pretty sure I could take anything, so I don't let anything get to me, but if I can stop those kids from going through even half the shit I went to, I'm going to."

"I know that you don't feel like it" I mumbled as she looked to me tiredly

"But you are such a good person. You're too pure for what you've been through"